Apparatus for metal-coating wire, chain, woven-wire fencing, and the like



IA EZSEQ July 24, 1923.

E. L.. \NATROUS WOVEN WIRE FENCING AND THE LIKE CHAIN APPARATUS FORMETAL COATING WIRE Filed Sept. 20 1919 Sheets-Sheet 1 ZEVV .Eaiwezrail.Wa l/ ram, W

July-24, 1923. 11,462,589 E. L. \NATROUS APPARATUS FOR METAL COATINGWIRE, CHAIN, WOVEN WIRE FENCING, AND THE LIKE Filed Sept. 20, 1919 2Sheets-Sheet 2 ln/z/amior' lwmil 73M 75%W J W m, Q

Patented July 24, 11923.

New, e I a L. S

EDWARD L. WATROUS,

DECEASED, LATE OF EL IASO, TS, BY AGNES B. WATROUS, EXECUTRIX, OFEVANSTON, ILLINOIS.

APPARATUS FOR METAL-COATING WIRE, CHAIN, WOVEN-WIRE FENCING, AND THELIKE.

Application filed September 20, 1919. Serial No. 325,255.

I To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that EDWARD L. VVATRoUs, deceased, late a citizen of theUnited States,

formerly residing at El Paso, in the county 5 of El Paso and State ofTexas, did invent certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus forMetal-Coating Wire, Chain, VVoven-VVire Fencing, and the like, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention relates to a method and apparatus for plating suchmetallic articles as wire, chain, woven wire fencing and the like withnon-corrosive metal such as zinc or the like.

In such metallic coating operations as galvanizing and the like, it ishighly desirable to subject the articles, immediately after beingdippedin the coating bath, to centrifugal action, in order to throw from20 the article being coated any excess material that may be adheringthereto, in order to effect a finished product free from any'undesirableexcrescences or rough portions caused by the adhering thereto ofsolidified 221,397, issued April 3, 1917, is disclosed a method of metalplating, in which such small articles as bolts, screws, nuts, and thelike are dipped in a spleter bath and then subjected to centrifugalaction by placing the containing basket in a centrifugal machine androtating the same therein, together with its contents. However, suchmaterial as wire, chain, woven wire fencing and the like from-theirvery. nature could not be handled in the apparatus and by the mannerdisclosed in said Patent No. 1,221,- 397. It is the function of thepresent invention to make possible the successful handling, coating andsubjecting to centrifugal action such unwieldy materials as those lastmentioned.

Among the objects of this invention are to make possible the successfulhandling and coating of such unwield materials as wire, (including bothplain w1re and-barbed wire), chain, woven wire fencing and the i like bydipping the same ina heated metallic bath, and after removal from saidbath subjecting the material in question to centrifugal force, wherebyto-throw therefrom any excess coating material to result in a finishedproduct free from any rough portions or excess coating material. InPatent No. 1,-'

I undesirable protuberances; further toprovide special apparatus foreffecting this result; further to provide means for suflicientlyseparating the overlapping strands when coating such materials as smoothwire or the l1ke;' further to provide a specially constructed reel, uponwhich to wind the mato prevent any coating material that may have becomechilled by contact with other parts being thrown from the interior uponthe coated material; further to provide apparatus upon which the reelmay be placed parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and -whilethere is shown therein a preferred construction'it isto be understoodthat the same is suceptible of modification and change without departingfrom the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view partly broken away showing'a preferredform of reel for use in carrying out this invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section through Figure 1, and showingthe barrel of the reel as havingbarbed wire wrapped thereon.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation party broken away, showing an apparatus uponwhich the reel may be placed to be rotated.

' Fig. 4 is a plan view of the left hand portion of Fig. 3. i

Fig. 5 is an end elevation of the reel shown in Fig. 1, but having aplurality of slotted plates added thereto to accommodate rods forseparating the strands when coating smooth wire.

Fig; 6 is a vertical transverse section of the reel shown in Fig. 5, andshowing several rounds of smooth wire wrapped thereon. 7

Fig. 7 is a modification of the machine shown in Fig. 3and illustratingthe spindle upon'which the reel is .to be placed as occupying ahorizontal rather than a vertical position.

The present invention contemplates the provision of a suitable reel orthe like upon,

(Ml terial to be coated and also provide means which such lengthymaterials as wire,

' chain, woven wire fencing and the like may be wrapped, after which thereel with its contents will be immersed in a heated spelter bath, orbath of other desirable material, the reel and its contents then removedfrom the bath and placed upon the rotatable spindle of a centrifugalmachine, which spindle will then be rotated at a sufficient speed tohurl by centrifugal force any excess coating material while yet softfrom the article being coated. After the centrifugal machine has beenstopped the wire or other similar material may be unwound from the reeland rebundled for shipment if desired, or a cheap metal reel could beprovided and sold with the wire or the like.

Referring to Fig. 1, there is provided a suitable reel comprising thespaced apart angle bars 1 positioned at each corner of the drum orbarrel of the reel and spaced apart, preferably such a distance as toform a barrel of square crosssection. These bars 1 extend the fulllength of the drum or barrel and have secured thereto at theirrespective ends, as shown, the parallel spaced apart angle bars 2 and 3,which bars 2 and 3 have in turn secured to them at right angles theretothe parallel spaced apart bars 4 and 5 respectively, whereby to provideoutwardly projecting arms at each end of the reel to confine the woundmaterial on the drum or barrel of the reel. Secured to the inside ofeach of the angle bars 1, and extending entirely around the drum orbarrel of the reel is the metal sheathing 6, the function of which beingto prevent any of the coating material which may have become chilled bycoming in contact with the spindle, to be hereinafter described, frombecoming thrown onto the work wound on the reel. The wire, chain, wovenwire fencingor the like to be coated may, if desired, be wound on thereel constructed as above described. However, for the purpose ofpreventing formation of short kinks in such wire or the like, and alsoprevent the same from lying too flat against the barrel of the reelthere is provided, extending longitudinally of the central portion ofeach face of the drum or barrel and separated therefrom by the crossbars 4 and 5, the angle bars 7 which are. positioned with one flangeextending radially outward. The effect of these bars 7 is to give thedrum or barrel a substantially octagonal cross-section, thus relievingthe wire from any short kinks, and which wire, chain, or the like whenwrapped upon the reel will assume the position illustrated in Fig. 2. Itwill be noted that the drum or barrel of the reel just described is ofhollow open ended formation, whereby after being withdrawn from thespelter or other coating material incense it may be quickly slipped overthe spindle 8 of the centrifugal machine now to be described. I

The centrifugal machine used for subjecting the reel and its contents tocentrifugal action comprises the shaft 9, mounted by means of the stepbearing 10 and the upper bearing 11 for rotation therein and geared bymeans of suitable bevel gears to the shaft 12, which shaft is in turnrotated by means of a belt or the like associated with the drive wheel13. By rotating the wheel 13, the spindle 8 will be caused to rotate inan obvious manner. The spindle 8, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, is madeup of the spaced apart angle bars 14, so arranged as to snugly receivethe hollow drum or barrel of the reel. The bars 14 near their upper endsare made to converge whereby to facilitate the easy and quickpositioning of the reel thereon, and are secured by means of bolts orthe like at their bottom ends to the supporting table 15, which rotateswith the shaft 9, and are suitably secured together at their upper endsby the rectangular band 16. It is obvious that any suitable form ofclutch mechanism for throwing the centrifugal machine into and out ofoperation, and also a suitable brake band for quickly stopping the sameafter performing its function, may be incorported therein as desired,illustrations of such clutch and brake band being found in The reel asdescribed above is best adapted for the reception of such materials asbarbed wire, chain, woven wire fencing, or other materials of suchnature that when wound upon themselves their component parts will notlie too closely together, whereby to prevent the ready access of thecoating material between the various parts when the reel and itscontents are dipped in the spelter bath or the like as in galvanizing.In order to adapt this reel to having wound thereon such material assmooth wire which, due to its smoothness, would permit adjacent strandsto lie so closely together as to prevent the ready access of the coatingmaterial to all parts of the wire, the reel is shown in Figures 5 and 6as provided at each end with a plurality of circumferentially spacedslotted plates 20, secured by means of bolts, rivets or the like to thebars 2, 3, 4 and 5, and preferably extending at right angles in each ofthe corner angles formed by the intersection of the adjacent length maybe readily inserted in each of the saidalined slots. In using this formof reel one or two layers of smooth wire are wrapped upon. the drum orbarrel of the reel as shown in Fig. 6, after which one of the rods 22 isinserted in each pair of alined slots 21 and moved to the bottomthereof. The

' wrapping of the wire upon the barrel is then proceeded with until oneor two more layers have been added, theselatter layers falling on theoutside of the first inserted rods 22, after which another series ofrods 22 is inserted in the-slots 21 in a similar manner, and the windingagain proceeded With and one or two further layers wound around theexterior of the last positioned rods 22. This is continued until thedesired amount of wire is wrapped upon the reel, after which the end ofthe wire is suitably secured in any desired manner and the reel with itscontents dipped in the spelter bath, or other suitable coating material.As a result ,of inserting the rods 22 in the slots 21 during thewrapping of the wire upon the reel there will be formed between everyother one or two layers of wire the spaces or interstices 23, whichprovide for the ready access of the coating material between the variousstrands or layers of wire which otherwise, due to their smoothness,would lie so close together asto prevent this access of coatingmaterial. After removal from the spelter bath, or the like the reel andits contents are positioned as described above upon the spindle 8 of thecentrifugal machine, which is then caused to rotate at sufficient speedto throw off any excess coating material which* may be upon the contentsof the reel. I

When coating such wide materials I as woven wire fencing and the likethe weight of the reel and its contents may be such as to render itinconvenient to lift the same to sufiicient height to cause it to slipinto position over the spindle 8. In order to obviate this difiicultythere is shown in Fig. 7 a centrifugal machine so arranged that thespindle 8 thereof will fall in a horizontal instead of a. vertical,position. By the use of this form of machine the reel and its contents,when the same should possess considerable weight, maybe readily andquickly slid upon the spindle 8, locked in position by' any suitableform of locking means and then rotated as described above. As shown inFig.7, there is provided a suitable sliding .friction clutch' 25operated by the han-,

dle. 26 to contact with the driving wheel 13', and also a suitable brakeband 27 by b means ofwhich friction maybe caused between the same andthe brake wheel 28,

whereby to quickly bring the machine to a stop-after the power has beenthrown off. It will also be understood that there will be provided asuitable hood 30 around the rotating reel whereby to prevent theundesirable flying of the particles of coating material being thrown offfrom the contents of the reel in all directions.

Having now described the invention,

What is claimed is:

1. In galvanizing apparatus, a reel adapted to be placed on a rotatablespindle and comprising a barrel having a sheet metal body andlongitudinally extending angle bars at the corners of the barrel, andoutstanding arms at each end whereby to confine on the barrel suchmaterial as wire, chain, woven wire fencing and the like to be coated.

2. In galvanizing apparatus, in combination a spindle, a reel adapted tohave wound thereon wire, chain, woven-wire fencing or other material tobe coated, said reel being hollow and of a configuration to readily slipon said spindle, and means to rotate said spindle, reel and contents tothrow any excess coating. material from the contents of the reel, saidreel having on its drum or barrel a sheathing to prevent any spelterthat may have become chilled by the spindle or other adjacent parts frombecoming thrown on the contents of the reel.

3. In galvanizing apparatus, a reel adapted to have wound thereon wire,chain, woven-wire fencing'or the like to be coated, said reel comprisinga hollow open-ended barrel, a-plurality of spaced angle bars fastened tothe barrel longitudinally thereof, and a plurality of transverselyprojecting bars at each end of said barrel.

4. In galvanizing apparatus, a reel adapted to have wound thereon wire,chain, woven-wire fencing or the like to be coated, said reelcomp-risin' a hollow open-ended barrel formed of a p urality of spacedbars, a plurality of transversely projecting bars at each end of saidbarrel, and a sheathing around the interior of said barrel forthepurpose set forth.

5. In galvanizing apparatus, a reel comprising a plurality oflongitudinally extending bars spaced to form an open work barrel, a pairof parallel spaced bars secured upon each end of the outside of saidbarrel, a pair of parallel spaced bars secured to each of said firstmentioned pairs of bars respectively and at right angles thereto, theends of each of said pairs of bars projecting transversely beyond saidbarrel.

6. In galvanizing apparatus a reel co prising a plurality of Ionitudinally extending angle bars spaced to t orm an open work arrel, apair of parallel spaced bars secured upon each endof the outside of saidbarrel, a pair of parallel spaced bars sepured to each of said firstmentioned pairs of. bars respectively and at right angles thereto, theends of each of said pairs of bars projecting transversely beyond saidbarrel, and a sheathing secured to said barrel for the purpose setforth.

7 In galvanizing apparatus, a reel adapted to have wound thereon wire,chain, wovenwire fencin or similar material to be galvanized, andcomprising a drum or barrel portion, projecting arms at each end of saidbarrel, and means between said projecting arms to hold cross-rods forthe purpose set forth. 8. In galvanizing apparatus, a reel adapted tohave wound thereon wire, chain, wovenwire fencing or similar material tobe galvanized, and comprising a drum or barrel portion, projecting armsat each end of said barrel, and means between said pro ecting arms tohold cross-rods for the purpose set forth, said means comprising slottedplates suitably spaced around said barrel at each end thereof.

9. In galvanizing apparatus, a reel adapted to have wound thereon wire,chain, woven-wire fencing or similar material to be galvanized, andcomprising a barrel formed of a. longitudinally extending angle iron ateach corner, a pair of spaced parallel bars secured to said angle ironsat each end of said barrel, a second pair of parallel spaced barssecured to each of said first pairs and at right angles thereto, and alongitudinally extending angle iron secured to said bars on each of thefour sides of said barrel with their flanges extending outwardly wherebyto form raised projections on which to wind the contents of the reel.

10. In metal coating apparatus, a reel adapted to have wound thereonlengthy material to be coated, and comprising a hollow flange on each ofopen-ended barrel adapted to be removably positioned on a rotatablespindle, projectmg arms at each end of said barrel to confine thereonthe wound material, and a longitudinally extending outwardly projectingthe four sides of said barrel whereby to cause said material tosubstantially follow the contour of an octagon in winding.

11. In metal coating apparatus, in combination, a rotatable spindle, areel adapted to have wound thereon lengthy materials to be coated suchas wire, chain, woven-wire fencing and the like, said spindle beingarranged horizontally whereby reels having wound thereon such widematerials aswoven-wire fencing and the like may after being dipped in acoating bath be readilypositioned on said spindle without lifting togreat heights, and means for rotating said spindle and reel to throw anyexcess coating material from the material wound on the reel, a sheathingaround the reel to catch the material cast 011'.

12. In metal coating apparatus, a reel comprising a drum or barrel uponwhich may be wound wire to be coated, means to prevent the first layersof wire from lying too close to the perfect said drum or barrel,projecting arms at the ends of said drum or barrel, and radiallyextending slotted plates circumferentially spaced upon each end of saiddrum or barrel, said plates being arranged at opposite ends of the drumor barrel in opposed pairs with the slots of each pair in alinementwhereby in winding wire on said reel a rod may be placed in each pair ofalined slots to raise one or more layers of wire from the subj acentlayer or layers whereby to permit the ready access of the coatingmaterial between the strands of wire when the reel and contents arebeing dipped.

13. In galvanizing apparatus, a reel adapted to be placed on a rotatablespindle and comp-rising a barrel having walls of sheet material andlongitudinally extending bars at the corners of the barrel, and spacedoutwardly extending arms at each end of the balrrel to confine'materialwound on the barre 14. A reel adapted to be placed upon a. rotatingspindle and comprising a barrel having walls of sheet material andlongitudinally extending bars at the corners of the barrel, spacedparallel outstanding arms fastened to the ends of said bars to confinematerial wound upon the barrel to'be coated.

15. A reel adapted to be placed upon a rotating spindle and comprising abarrel having walls of sheet material and longitudinally extending barsat the corners of the barrel, pairs of outstanding cross arms fastenedto the ends of said bars and adapted to confine material wound on thebarrel.

16. A reel adapted to be placed upon a rotatable spindle and comprisinga barrel, lon itudinally extending bars at the corners of t e barrel,spaced parallel cross arms fastened to the ends of said bars and adaptedto include therebetween material to be wound on the barrels and to becoated thereon.

17. In coating apparatus, a reel adapted to have material to be coatedwound thereon, said reel comprising a hollow open ended barrel having asheet metal body and a lurality of spaced bars fastened to the bodylongitudinally thereof, a-plurality of transversely projecting bars ateach end of said longitudinal bars, and means to cause a rapid rotationof the reel for casting off excess coating material therefrom.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name to this specificationin the presence of one witness.

AGNES B. WATROUS,

Certificate of Correction.

It is hereby certln'ed that in Letters Patent N011 462,589, granted July24, 1928, upon the application of Agnes B. VVatrous, of vanston,Illinois, executrix of Edward L. Watrous, deceased, for an improvementin Apparatus for Metal- Coating Wire, Chain, Woven-Wire Fencing, and theLike, errors appear in the printed specification requiring correction asfollows: Page 1, line 29, for the mis spelled ord spleter -"readspelter, and line 86, for the word party read partly," page 2, lines96-97, for the misspelled Word incorported read incorporated; page 3,line 123, claim 6. strike out the Word angle; page 4, line 104, claim16, after the word extending insert the Word angle, and that the saidLetters Patent should be read withthese corrections therein that thesame may conform to the record of the case in the Patent- Oflice.

Signed and sealed this 9th day ofOc-tober, A.. 1)., 1923;

[SEAL] WM. A. KINNAN,

Aetinq Commissioner of Patents,

